Portable table



jm g, 1924 v mwsz C. W. EPLEY PORTABLE TABLE 'Filed Oct. 1S', 1922 Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

UNlTED STATES f CLARENCE WM. EPLEY, 0F GETTYSBURG, IPENIS-YLVANIA.l

I PORTABLE TA'BLE.

application mea october 18, 1922. serialY no. 595,328.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE WILLIAM EPLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gettysburg, in the county of Adams and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and and useful Improvements in Portable Tables, of which the following is-a specification.

This invention relates to a table which may be placed in the tonneau of an automobile and removably attached to the back of the front seat.

My invention embodies a table so designed and adapted that'it may be comp-actly folded and placed under the rear seat of an automobile when the table is not in use, and may be quickly unfolded and attached to the rear part ofthe front seat when it is desired to use the same.

Obviously, however, such a table may be used in other places than in the tonneau of an automobile such as for instance in a Pullman car, in an oflice or at home..

Referring to the annexed drawings in which the same characters denote similar parts;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my table at it would appear in the tonneau of an automobile.

Figure '2 is a plan view of the bottom thereof, showing the leg in its folded posi-4 tion.

Figure 3 is a side view of'the table showin the leg in its folded position.

igure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing a modlcation of the attachgroove to hold a ing means.

Figure 6 is a side elevation. view illustrating how the attaching means as shown in Figure 5 is applied to the rear seat of an automobile. Y

ln the drawings 1 representsthe front seat of an automobile to which my table 2 is attached. The upper side of this table is conventional or it may be provided with a pencil, nelther the groove nor the pencil belng shown however. Secured in the upper part of the front seat are eye bolts 3 a a ted to receive hooks 4 attached to one e ge of the table so that one side of the table is sulpported by means of the bolts and hooks. ntermediate the ends of the table is attached a foldable leg 5, by

means of hinges 6 or other conventional means. A drawer 7 is mounted under the table 1n guide ways 8. A lock and key may be provided for the drawer. The drawerf( V has two functions, one of which is to hold playlng cards or other articles and when the table is in use and the leg 5 is in a vertical position the drawer 7 acts as a means to steady the leg 5 and incidentally prevents the hinges 6 from being loosened by swinging the leg 5 rearwardly too far. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 4. A sprin means 9 is provided on the opposite side o the leg 5 from the drawer 7, which spring means prevents the'leg from being moved forwardly when in use. The drawer and the spring means abutting opposite sides of the leg 5 holds the leg in a perfectly upright position so that the table will lbe steady. A peg or pegs 10 are inserted in the bottom of the leg 5 which pegs engage the floor and act as an additional means of holding the leg 5 in its vert-ical position. By the above ymeans a compact, light; and portable table is (provided which is very steady. When it 1s esired to fold the ytable the spring means 9 is pressed flat against the bottom of the table 2 as is shown in Figure 3, the table is then raised so as to disengage the pegs 1 from the Hoor, whereupon the le 5 ma be folded under the table and held 1n its olded posit-ion by means of the spring retaining means 11 which is shown as a spring clasp. If desired `the spring `means 9 ma be countersunk in the bottom of the tabe 2 as is shown in Figure 4.

In Figures 5 and 6 a hinge 13 may be secured to the front seat of an automobile. A securing plate 14 is countersunk to the adjacent edge of the. table opposite to the leg 5. The plate 14 m-ay be securedy to the table by means of screws or other conventional means. Nuts not shown may be embedded in the table above the plate 14 and in alignment with the holes 15l in the plate 14. thumb screw 16 may be inserted through the holes in the hinge 13 in alignment with the holes 15 which thumb screw 16 by assing through the holes in the hin e 13 andp the holes 15 and screwing into t e nuts securely attach the table 2 to the front seat 1 of the table. Instead of embedding threaded nuts in alignment with the holes 15, I may internally thread the sides of `tached to the under side thereof adjacent the` other end of said table, resilient means for maintaining said pivoted leg in vertical position, means on the end of said leg adapted to engage the supporting Hoor to prevent movement of the lower end of the leg and a drawer in the last mentioned end ot' said table, the drawerlacting as a stop for said leg when said drawer is closed, said leg be- ,said leg when said ineens@ ing adapted to be folded down against the under side of said table.

2. A portable and oldable table having means thereon for attaching one end thereof to the back of a seat and pivoted leg attached to the under side thereoie adjacent the other end of said table, resilient means for maintaining said pivoted leg in vertical position, means on the end oi said leg adapted to engage the supporting floor to prevent movement of the lower end of the leg and a drawer in th e last mentioned end of said table, the drawer acting as a sto for drawer is close the upper portion of said leg being extended so as to engage said drawer over its full width, said leg being adapted to be folded down against the under side oit said table.,

lln testimony whereof ll affix my signature.

CLARENCE VTM. lElPLlEY. 

